Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-03-11
The Suppressed Letter.

The Suppressed Letter.
New YORK, Feb. 24.-The letter
which Mayor Hewitt sent to the
Young Mems Democratic club of
Brooklyn on Tuesday night and which
was suppressed because considered in
judicious and because it might injur-
iously affect Gov. Hills presidential
boom, We publish to-day. President
Lees admission that that he feared
what he would say would prove po-
litical boom-shell and the sensation
which its Suppression has created, rem
dered publication of the document
imperative. Following is copy of
THE LETTER.
New YORK, Feb. IA.
Frederick B. Lee, Esq, "a Park Place
New York:
DEAR SIR: l have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your letter
of the 9Th inst, asking me to be guest
of the Young Mems Democrat club on
the 22d inst, at its annual dinner. As
you are aware, am just recovering
from a very painful illness, which does
not yet permit me to leave my cham
ber. As matter of course it will be
impossible for me to have the pleasure
of dining with you on the 22d, but
send my cordial greetings to the club
and the distinguished Dem ocrats who
will be present, and trust that the
laudable object at which you aim, the
protection Of the Union and the sue
cess of the national Democracy will be
achieved. The principles of the DEM
cratic party are ON trial from q new
force which has suddenly appeared in
politics, and which will destroy the
party unless it is boldly con-
fronted, and the dangerous and the
pernicious effect of its doctrine and
principles denounced and make clear
to the public. The Democratic party
regards the individual as the unit of
society, the integrity of which de-
pends entirely upon the personal liber-
ty OF the citizens. Jefferson and his
associates drove the federals out of
power on this issue, which, indeed,
was fundamental in the struggle that
gave us free government, and produced
the constitution. Until the civil war
broke out no man questioned the right
of the white citizens of the United
States TO dispose Of themselves and
their labor in every manner which
might seem good. The war extended
the same rights to the colored race as
the white citizens had previously en-
joyed, so that up to very recent per-
iod every citizen Of the country has
been free to employ himself and pur-
sue his happiness in whatever direction
might seem to him to be good. With
in the last five years, however, secret
organization has been growing in
strength and power which seek to en-
slave the labor of this country and
make it subject to the irresponsible
domination of men unknown to the
people, who are not officers chosen by
the people, and who are not creatures
OF law, responsible to free public opin-
ion and to the constituted authorities
for their action. Gradually the lead
ers OF this body have succeeded in
stamping out all personal indepen-
dence on the part of a large number
of workmen OF the country by refusing
to permit any person to earn q living
who is not affiliated with this secret
organization. In this way the work
men have been coerced in blind ODE
dience to irresponsible power, and the
condition of those who have tried to
remain outside of the organization is
in many cases pitiable. They are
called by opptobious names, are hunt.
ed from shop to shop and denied en-
ployment under the fearful penalty Of
stopping all work, however pressing OF
important. This is tyranny against
which the Democratic party has ever
struggled and which it must now con.
front and denounce in no mistaken
terms. 1t is true that Democrats hold.
ing high positions have coquetted with
this new and dangerous element in
politics, and even obtained Office by
submitting to the humiliation of an
apparent endorsement of the false and
dangerous doctrines which have been
put in practice at such fearful cost